Maine Republican chairman: King a ‘lifelong liberal Democrat’

AUGUSTA — The chairman of the Maine Republican Party says Sen.-elect Angus King’s decision to caucus with Democrats was a foregone conclusion, even before the GOP and conservative groups spent millions of dollars attacking him during the campaign.

Charlie Webster said Wednesday that King was a Democrat when he moved to Maine from Virginia, and that his heart always stayed with the Democratic Party’s ideals even though he served two terms as governor as an independent.

Additional Photos

Charlie Webster Joe Phelan / Staff Photographer

Sen.-elect Angus King, I-Maine, center, the former governor of Maine, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13,2012, to meet with Republican Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine to discuss committee assignments and how they'll work together to represent Maine in the Senate. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

He also said King never really entertained the notion of caucusing with Republicans, calling him a “lifelong liberal Democrat.”

King announced his decision Wednesday in Washington, D.C., saying it gave him the best opportunity to shape legislation while remaining independent. With King joining their caucus, Democrats will have a 55 to 45 edge in the Senate.

To our readers: We have made a change to comments on this site. Please sign in or register on our new Disqus platform to participate. Questions? Email us.

Here at MaineToday Media we value our readers and are committed to growing our community by encouraging you to add to the discussion.

To ensure conscientious dialogue we have implemented a strict no-bullying policy. To participate, you must follow our Terms of Use. Click here to flag and report a comment that violates our terms of use.